Cat quarantined after potential contact with rabid bat

Related Content

Rabies on the wing

1. Stevenson Ranch. May. Bat found dead outside a home.2. Santa Clarita. May. Bat found alive outdoors at a home.3. Santa Clarita. June. Found dead in a backyard.4. Saugus. July. Dog carrying bat around in its mouth at a home. Dog will be quarantined and observed for rabies.5. Santa Clarita. July. Bat found weak but alive in a driveway outside a home.6. Santa Clarita. July. Bat found weak but alive in a driveway outside a home (same place as bat 5).7. Santa Clarita. August. Found alive in driveway. Covered with a bucket and Animal Control contacted.8. Santa Clarita. August. Bat found clinging to side of garage.9. Santa Clarita. August. Bat found dead next to pool.10. Canyon Country. August. Bat found dead outdoors.11. Valencia. August. Found dead on a back patio. Cat potentially exposed. Cat up-to-date on rabies vaccine. Will be re-vaccinated and quarantined for 30 days.

SANTA CLARITA - A Valencia cat has been quarantined out of concern that it was exposed to a rabid bat found outside its home, county health officials reported.

The cat may have come into contact with the bat on the home’s back patio, where the bat was found dead in late August, according to the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health.

The cat had up-to-date vaccinations but will be re-vaccinated and quarantined for 30 days as a precaution, health officials reported.

The dead bat was one of five rabid bats found in the Santa Clarita Valley during the month of August. Another rabid bat was found dead outdoors in Canyon Country, while the other three were reported within Santa Clarita city limits.

Other rabid bats were found earlier this summer in Saugus and Stevenson Ranch.

The most recent discoveries bring the year-to-date total for rabid bats in Los Angeles County to 26, 11 of which have been found in the Santa Clarita Valley.

More rabid bat findings were reported in August this year than during any other month. Incidents of rabies in bats routinely go up during hot summer months.

In a normal year, Los Angeles County only has about eight to 12 confirmed rabid bat cases a year, according to county health officials.

Rabid bats were also found in Altadena, Covina, Chatsworth and Northridge in August.County health officials urge residents to stay away from and report bats acting strangely, such as flying around in sunlight or lying on the ground.

Residents who observe such behavior are encouraged to call the Department of Animal Care and Control at 661-257-3191.